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The Westerner Overview:

The Westerner (1940) was a Drama - Romance Film directed by William Wyler and produced by Samuel Goldwyn.

SYNOPSIS

An enduring Western with a memorable central performance by Brennan. Judge Roy Bean (known as the hanging judge) ruled his western domain with a despotic hand. When Cooper comes into his courtroom, he knows the deadly outcome, and uses his wits to escape by promising a lock of hair from the judge's dream, Lily Langtry. He also takes sides with the homesteaders (including Davenport) against the judge, which leads to a rousing final showdown in a gaslit theater. Note the cinematography by Toland. Debuts for Andrew and Tucker.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

Academy Awards 1940 --- Ceremony Number 13 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best Supporting ActorWalter BrennanWon
Best Art DirectionJames BaseviNominated
Best WritingStuart N. LakeNominated
See More Oscar Winners

The Westerner BlogHub Articles:

The Westerner (1940): Made by Walter Brenna and Gary Cooper

By 4 Star Film Fan on Dec 20, 2019 From 4 Star Films

I do appreciate older films running their credits at the beginning, and I make a habit of perusing them for familiar names. More often than not, I’m rewarded in some small regard. However, The Westerner features a rather unusual notice:  “This story is legend founded on fact and, with t... Read full article

Sam Peckinpah's TV Series "The Westerner"

By Rick29 on Apr 9, 2018 From Classic Film & TV Cafe

Brian Keith and Spike in The Westerner. Produced in 1960, The Westerner is a tough, realistic TV Western that befits its creator, Sam Peckinpah. The director was already a TV veteran, having written and directed episodes of Gunsmoke, Broken Arrow, and The Rifleman in the 1950s. In fact, he is ofte... Read full article

The Westerner (1940)

By Beatrice on Apr 1, 2014 From Flickers in Time

The Westerner Directed by William Wyler Written by Jo Swerling and Nevin Busch from the story by Stuart N. Lake 1940/USA The Samuel Goldwyn Company First viewing/Netflix rental I enjoyed this rather off-beat Western, chiefly due to its Oscar -winning performance by Walter Brennan.  Wyler’s ... Read full article

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The Westerner Quotes:

Judge Roy W. Bean: Mr. Harden, it's my duty to inform you that the larceny of an equine is a capital offense punishableby death, but you can rest assured that in this court a horse thief always gets a fair trial before he's hung.
Judge Roy W. Bean: Don't spill none of that liquor, son. It eats right into the bar.
Judge Roy W. Bean: Are you an attorney, Miss?
Jane Ellen Mathews: I'm as much an attorney as you are a judge!
Cole Harden: You get warrants in Fort Davis, don't you?
Judge Roy W. Bean: Yes, that's where they get 'em, but they don't know how to spell my name. It's been tried before.
Cole Harden: I'll get one. This time you'll get what's comin' to you, Judge.
Wade Harper: We're goin' back to build our fences.
Judge Roy W. Bean: If you do, you better build coffins with them. Now git!
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The Westerner Facts
This film is the first of five roles for Walter Brennan in support of Gary Cooper. The last was Task Force in 1949.
Film debut of Forrest Tucker.
According to the New York Times review of the film on 25 October 1940, it opened at the Radio City Music Hall the night before, more than one month after the national opening on 20 September 1940. No reason was given for the apparent delay. Their credited cast list also is identical to the one in the AFI Catalog, including the character name of "Burt Cobble" for Dana Andrews. However, Variety's cast list has Andrews' name correctly as "Hod Johnson," so there is still a mystery concerning which are the original credits.
This film was the third Oscar win for Walter Brennan, who won three out of the five best Supporting Actor Academy Awards. Despite being nominated the subsequent year for Sergeant York, also with Gary Cooper, he was never nominated again in a very long career.
"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on September 23, 1940 with Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan and Doris Davenport reprising their film roles.
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